Placental Transfusion in the 'Natural' Delivery: Effect of Early and Late Umbilical Cord Clamping

Policlinico Abano Terme

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Acidosis; Hematocrit Anemia

Treatments: Procedure: Umbilical cord clamping at birth.

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04459442

3278/AT/14

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators conducted a randomized controlled trial (parallel group study with 1:1 randomisation) comparing early cord clamping (ECC, at 60 seconds) and delayed cord clamping (DCC, at 180 seconds) in 90 cases of 'normal', two-step vaginal deliveries. DCC may result in a higher blood volume in the newborn, facilitating the maternal-placental-fetal exchange of circulating compounds, without potentially detrimental acidosis.

Full description

Introduction: Placental transfusion supports an important blood transfer to the neonate, promoting a more stable transition from fetal to extrauterine life, with the potential to prevent iron deficiency in young children. Several studies have demonstrated that cord clamping timing is greatly relevant for facilitate placental transfusion, the transfer of extra blood from the placenta to the infant in the third stage of labor. Therefore, during' natural', 'two-step delivery umbilical cord management may play a relevant role on blood passage to the neonate and it may affect neonatal hematological values (placental transfusion). The most effective way to manage umbilical cord in in 'natural', two-step delivery remains to be established. Objective: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of two different methods of umbilical cord management ECC vs. DCC) on the placental transfusion, defined by Δ haematocrit (Hct) from arterial cord blood at birth and capillary blood at 48 h of age, accounting for physiological body weight decrease. Secondary outcome included contemporary estimate of pH in arterial cord blood gas analysis at birth.

Material and methods: This is a randomized clinical trial on the effect of different cord management in newborns by 'natural', two-step delivery. After obtaining parental consent, all mothers > 38 weeks' gestation will be assigned to either ECC or DCC group in a 1:1 ratio, according to a randomized sequence generated by an opened, sealed, numbered, opaque envelope containing the cord clamping interventions allocation, ECC (at 1 minute) or DCC (at 3 minutes after delivery).

Enrollment: 90 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 1 minute to 2 days old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Vaginal delivery

Exclusion criteria

Cesarean delivery

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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90 participants in 2 patient groups

Early cord clamping

Experimental group

Description:

Cord clamping at 60 seconds after birth.

Treatment:

Procedure: Umbilical cord clamping at birth.

Delayed cord clamping

Experimental group

Description:

Cord clamping at 180 seconds after birth.

Treatment:

Procedure: Umbilical cord clamping at birth.